final project
I have chosen my site at Charlestown, Massachusetts, where our architectural studio also has a project proposal for a community center. Charlestown is close to Boston and is located directly north of the city. It was established by the British colonists before Boston. Since then, it has been a large industrial town established by a rather poor Irish community. Thus, the characteristic of place has been and is very much influenced by the Irish community.
The site is located at the top of a hill, which is 100 feet above sea level and is one of the few large open spaces left that offers a beautiful view of Boston and Cambridge. It is surrounded by an Irish church and its complex and funeral homes, and leaves an impression of being a peaceful part of town.
Because Charlestown is close to and has a beautiful view of the Boston and Cambridge, many people, young professionals especially, have been moving into this area, transforming the old neighborrhood community. The demand for houses in the area has resulted in gentrification by developers, the city and the new owners. My final project reveals some of the tensions between the new and the old community that I feel in the atmosphere whenever I visit the site.
city and sky
transition
tension
fear and anger
